Fixing the worst law in technology

That's the role of the executive branch, and President Obama is the head of the executive branch. It's weird to see it phrased that way, but it's not incorrect.

Re: Fixing the worst law in technology

#6

Post by matt2000 » Mon, Mar 18, 2013, 6:39 PM UTC

Perhaps we should make a site who's terms of service explicitly bars use by members of congress. Once some member of congress goes to the site, we try to get them put in jail, at which point they'll change the law.

Re: Fixing the worst law in technology

#7

Post by derekp7 » Mon, Mar 18, 2013, 6:41 PM UTC

matt2000 wrote: post #6

Perhaps we should make a site who's terms of service explicitly bars use by members of congress. Once some member of congress goes to the site, we try to get them put in jail, at which point they'll change the law.

Good idea, but I don't think it is possible for a private citizen to bring a prosecution. You could report it as a crime to the local police / FBI, but then they would probably file charges against you for wasting their time.

Re: Fixing the worst law in technology

#8

Post by gz5 » Mon, Mar 18, 2013, 6:46 PM UTC

The law of any overly generalized and overly complex law: the law is no good.

Don't try to repair it. Rip it out and establish clear, concise, use-case specific laws, when necessary.

Re: Fixing the worst law in technology

#9

Post by anigbrowl » Mon, Mar 18, 2013, 7:30 PM UTC

Good god, this is stupid.

The damage was trivial, yet he is threatened with two hundred and fifty thousand dollars in damages and up to twenty-five years in prison.

Really? The prosecutor is seeking the maximum statutory penalty for this? Somehow I doubt that.

All the Administration needs to do is to rely on the ancient common-law principle called the “rule of lenity.” This states that ambiguous criminal laws should be construed in favor of a defendant.

BY A COURT. The rule of lenity is something that is supposed to guide the behavior of judges.

This is lousy journalism, which misleads the audience in an attempt to pander to their sensibilities. There is no way the author of this piece ran it past a lawyer.

Re: Fixing the worst law in technology

#10

Post by jpd750 » Mon, Mar 18, 2013, 7:37 PM UTC

derekp7 wrote: post #7

matt2000 wrote: post #6

Perhaps we should make a site who's terms of service explicitly bars use by members of congress. Once some member of congress goes to the site, we try to get them put in jail, at which point they'll change the law.

Good idea, but I don't think it is possible for a private citizen to bring a prosecution. You could report it as a crime to the local police / FBI, but then they would probably file charges against you for wasting their time.

Sad, but true. This is just outrageous.